SPORTS BRIEFS

Agencies

CRICKET

Toe bowls Johnson out

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson will miss the World Twenty20 tournament because of a toe infection. Johnson’s place in the Australia squad is to be taken by the 32-year-old international veteran Doug Bollinger. Australia coach Darren Lehmann raised the prospect of Johnson’s withdrawal after Australia’s six-wicket win over South Africa last week and the seriousness of his injury was confirmed yesterday. “If he’s not healthy enough to travel, he won’t travel — health’s a bit more important than a game of cricket,” Lehmann said.

BOXING

Garcia defends title

Danny Garcia kept his undefeated record intact on Saturday by taking a majority decision over challenger Mauricio Herrera in a light welterweight title fight. Garcia improved to 28-0 and retained his WBC and WBA titles with a hard-fought victory that two judges scored 116-112, and the third had even, 114-114. The US’ Garcia, who is of Puerto Rican ancestry, had the crowd of 10,100 at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez on his side. Herrera, also a US citizen, dropped to 20-4 with seven knockouts. This was Garcia’s fifth defense of the WBC crown he won by taking a unanimous decision over Mexico’s Erik Morales in 2012. It was also the fourth defense of the WBA title Garcia took from England’s Amir Khan with a fourth-round stoppage in 2012.

SOCCER

Inter defeat Verona

Rodrigo Palacio and Jonathan scored a goal apiece in either half as Inter boosted their fight for a place in Europe with a precious 2-0 win away to Verona on Saturday. Walter Mazzarri’s side, undefeated in six games, have now made it three wins on the trot to move up to fourth in Serie A at the expense of Fiorentina, who were to host Chievo yesterday.

RUGBY UNION

Wales’ Warburton injured

Wales captain Sam Warburton is expected to miss their June tour to South Africa after dislocating his shoulder in a record 51-3 win over Scotland in the Six Nations championship on Saturday. Warburton was injured near the end of the game at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, in which Wales chalked up their biggest-ever win in the tournament and the Scots suffered their record Six Nations loss. “It looks like he’s dislocated his shoulder and they had to put it back in after the game,” Wales head coach Warren Gatland was quoted as saying by the BBC. “It looks like he’ll be ruled out for the rest of the season and probably the [South Africa] tour as well. He’s being scanned tomorrow [yesterday] and the likelihood is he’ll probably need an operation on that.” Warburton’s British & Irish Lions, Wales and Cardiff Blues teammate Leigh Halfpenny is already out of the South Africa tour with a shoulder injury.

GOLF

Canizares extends his lead

Alejandro Canizares of Spain extended his lead to six strokes in the third round of the Trophee Hassan II on Saturday after shooting a three-under 69. Leading since the first round, Canizares made four birdies and a bogey for a total of 17-under 199. Seve Benson of England remained in second place despite carding a 74. Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands climbed to third place, one stroke behind Benson, by firing a bogey-free 67. David Horsey of England (72) shared fourth place at 208 with compatriot Paul Waring (67), Shiv Kapur of India (67), Robert Karlsson (70) and Magnus Carlsson (72) of Sweden.